Wildlife attacks on humans in SB County are rare, officials say

Sunday

For as long as people have lived in the High Desert, a considerable and diverse wildlife population — from bighorn sheep to desert tortoises to rattlesnakes — has claimed the same land as home.

While most species of wildlife avoid humans, wild animal attacks on pets in the High Desert are not entirely rare. Earlier this month, a suspected bobcat attack left three dogs dead in Hesperia.

Hesperia Animal Control officials believed a bobcat was the culprit after analyzing paw prints and the types of injuries that each of the dogs suffered.

Following the attack, some residents through social media expressed disbelief that a bobcat was the culprit in the deaths of the three dogs. Some said that a mountain lion, not a bobcat, was responsible for the gruesome attack.

Although some believe the High Desert is especially vulnerable to mountain lion attacks, data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests otherwise.

Mountain lion sightings, killings

Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan says most of the mountain lion sightings reported to his office turn out to be a different animal.

"We've seen it all (and) we're respectful of people," Hughan said. "Ninety-nine times out of 100 it's a housecat or bobcat."

Since 1986, 14 people have been attacked by mountain lions in California. Three of the 14 died as a result of the attacks, with the most recent occurring in Whiting Ranch Regional Park in Orange County in January 2004.

According to the Fish and Wildlife website, none of the mountain lion attacks on humans since 1986 have occurred in San Bernardino County.

Although there have been three fatal attacks in the past 28 years, Hughan said the threat of mountain lions attacking humans is low.

"You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than getting eaten by a mountain lion," Hughan said. "Circumstances have to be exactly right for an attack to happen."

The Fish and Wildlife website also lists the number of reported mountain lion sightings that have been verified.

From 2009 to 2012, there were 644 verified mountain lion sightings throughout California. In that time period, the state determined that 18 mountain lions had to be killed for public safety reasons. Three of those mountain lions lived in San Bernardino County.

Hughan said many more people call in sightings. He added that fear of mountain lions is often spread through social media and word of mouth.

"People often see what they want to see, rather than what is," he said.

Disagreement over Hesperia attack

The suspected bobcat attack that killed three dogs has divided some in the High Desert.

"I am concerned," John Glass wrote on the Facebook page of the Daily Press. "I'm sure the drought has a lot to do with predatory animals moving into populated areas."

Former Hesperia mayor Bill Jensen believes a mountain lion killed the three dogs, not a bobcat. He said he came to his conclusion after seeing a picture of the paw prints left at the scene.

"This appears to be a mountain lion," Jensen said. "Anybody that lives in the country would know the difference."

Jensen said the attack on the dogs reminded him of an attack in Hesperia a decade ago when two mountain lions killed the goats of a homeowner.

"(Mountain lions) did it 10 years ago, they will do it again," he said.

Hesperia Animal Control Field Supervisor Suzanne Edson maintains that the attack was most likely committed by a bobcat, based on the paw prints and the types of injuries.

Desert predators

Rattlesnakes are one of the more common threats to humans in the High Desert. According to the Fish and Wildlife website, rattlesnakes are responsible for approximately 800 bites on humans in California every year. One to two people die each year as a result of the bites.

There have only been two reported deaths as a result of coyote attacks in North America. One occurred in the 1980s in Southern California and another in Nova Scotia in 2009, according to the Humane Society.

Regarding coyote attacks, Edson said it's not routine for Hesperia Animal Control to log such incidents, unless they can prove it hurt another animal.

"We don't exactly keep track," Edson said.

She added that Hesperia Animal Control has an "animal versus animal" report that is routinely filled out, although it usually applies to dogs that attack each other.

Edson said coyotes are animals that usually travel alone.

"You will sometimes see a mom and pup (together)," she said. "But coyotes typically hunt alone."

Protecting against predators

Hughan and Edson agree that a number of precautions can be taken to lower the chances of pet and human encounters with predators.

For pet owners living in less populated areas, Hughan suggests cleaning up food bowls and changing the pet's water every few days. He said the changes could reduce the chances of a predator attacking pets.

"If you live anywhere near open country, you need to be aware you live with wildlife," Hughan said. "If you have a small dog, you need to be responsible."

Since 1972, Fish and Wildlife has issued depredation permits, which grant a willing California resident the ability to legally hunt mountain lions if a game warden determines that one caused property damage or killed livestock, according to Hughan.

From 1972 to 2011, Fish and Wildlife logged 2,497 mountain lion deaths as a result of depredation permits. Only one mountain lion had been killed in San Bernardino County with a depredation permit in nearly four decades, amounting to approximately 0.04 percent of total mountain lions killed.

The highest number of mountain lion depredation deaths occurred in Mendocino County, north of San Francisco, where 329 lions were killed.

According to Hughan, certain criteria must be met for a game warden to issue a depredation permit.

"(A game warden) has to see evidence," he said. "Mountain lion tracks are distinctly different from bobcat and coyote tracks."

According to Hughan, California is home to approximately 6,000 mountain lions. He said it's impossible to know how many live in San Bernardino County.

"Lions are very solitary creatures," he said. "(If you see one) count yourself lucky."

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